


London Calling

by we_were_born_in_a_cave



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/F, F/M, First War with Voldemort, Gen, Hogwarts, Hogwarts Seventh Year, James Potter Ships Remus Lupin/Sirius Black, London Underground, M/M, Muggle London, Multi, Nightmares, Other, Post-Hogwarts, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Protective Remus Lupin, Remus Lupin Loves Sirius Black, Sirius Black Loves Remus Lupin, Sirius Black Needs a Hug, Sirius Black's Flying Motorbike, wolfstar
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-03
Updated: 2020-08-03
Packaged: 2021-03-06 07:53:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,353
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25689892
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/we_were_born_in_a_cave/pseuds/we_were_born_in_a_cave
Summary: Sirius has nightmares, Remus likes rooftops, deatheaters are up to no good. First Wizarding War, possibly canon divergent in future.
Relationships: James Potter/Lily Evans Potter, Sirius Black/Remus Lupin
Comments: 2
Kudos: 2





	London Calling

**Author's Note:**

> *This is chapter one of a much longer work in progress.*
> 
> **content warning for language, some minor depiction of wounds and blood (not self harm-), eventual discussion of trauma, minor drug use**
> 
> None of these characters belong to me, and neither does this world. Tnx to JK for the OG. Pls become aware of your TERFiness..... 
> 
> This work takes its title from the song london calling by the clash and also from the station intro from bbc during ww2. I'm planning to follow major themes of conflict and pull in contemporary parallels so know this before you begin- I'm here for the investigation of this conflict as much as I'm here for the marauders. 
> 
> hope you enjoy. 
> 
> ~*~*~*~*~*~*~
> 
> 'Yeah.' Sirius says, after a minute.  
> 'Might be the news who’s to say.'
> 
> 'Might might. Might be the news.' Remus growls.  
> 'Might be those dark magic bastard idiots and their fascist agendas.  
> Might be the murders of the innocents or the ministry’s fowling  
> Pathetic attempt to handle it-'
> 
> '-and their worse attempt to cover it all up-'
> 
> '-the censorship-'
> 
> '-the death toll and-'
> 
> '-not to mention Dumbledore-
> 
> '-the bastard.' sirius bites.
> 
> 'Where is he, even?'
> 
> 'London calling I thought.'
> 
> ~*~*~*~*~*~

'Jesus fuckin Christ'

He wakes up in a sweat. It’s not new and neither are the tangled sheets at the edge of his bed but  
wait  
A lurching and then  
'Shit'  
He just gets himself to the edge of the mattress before-  
-and he’s emptying his stomach even though there isn’t anything to-  
-feeling horrible absolutely flat out-  
-and then somehow-  
-better.  
Still sweaty.  
'Scourgify,'  
he mutters to the floor.

'Scourg-i-fuck yourself mate-'  
James in the corner  
All the way asleep  
Peter too of course but.

Eyes in the dark as the curtain is pulled to the side and  
'Hey.'

'Hey.'

'Bad dream then?'

'Something like.  
Can’t remember.'

'mm.'  
remus’ feet hit the floorboards with a pad and then:  
'what would help?'

'Nothing I’m fine.'

'You’re not.  
s’alright. Water?'

'Yeah. Sure. Thanks.' 

'Shuttup'  
James again as he rolls over angrily and Sirius wonders if he’s dodging something fast the way he moves like-  
-water appears.  
He reaches out.  
'Cheers.'

'You too. Slow. Slowsirius.'

'Gone.  
What time is it?'

'S’three am. Even this late-'

'-early-' Sirius corrects.

'-you’re still so much yourself.' 

'Aren’t you relieved?'

'Usually if you’re around yeah.'

'Sorry?'

'Oh. i. just meant it’s-  
-i always feel reassured here. In the dorms ah sorry.'

'Not awake yet, lupin?'

'Not quite.'

Remus is stranger in the morning. Sirius knows this and  
It is comforting  
Remus and all of his-  
-it’s very awkward being like that. Stretchy and anxious and-  
-like him like Sirius,  
in that he doesn’t sleep and  
when he does it’s like  
well it’s often like the way it is.

'you’re always so quiet.'

'sorry?'

'it’s too quiet'

'it’s three in the morning' lupin objects

'should we try and sleep then?'

'Truthfully?' that shit eating wolf grin

'Yeah?'

'I’d like about a dozen fags.' 

'Yeah.'

'Roof then?'

'After you my lady.' sirius gives him a mock-bow. 

Remus chuckles but his long his  
Sirius thinks:  
He’s really like something other-than sometimes like a shadow etched long in the sun like  
Mantis or rambling river like  
The tree that stretches itself reaching for something it knows exists but just can’t  
and then there’s a rusty kind of sound that brings him back to the room because the window handle’s old and then  
remus’ shoulder  
against the wood panel and

'c’mon look alive,' the wolf says

'j’accuse.'

'shake it bacon  
want a hand?'

and Sirius  
the cold air of autumn making its way in and helping, somehow, as it always does-  
reaches out for remus’ hand and then  
remembers  
'I’m not an invalid moony I can help myself.' 

'Well then do it you ungrateful wanker'  
And he’s gone around the corner of the tower Sirius watches his feet  
Until they too are gone and waits until he can hear the lighter  
Smell the smoke  
To pull himself up  
it’s a small thing pulling yourself up onto a window ledge and striding out onto a rooftop but from his first moment  
here, in the castle.  
that’s how it felt. Like pulling yourself up onto a window ledge  
One long languid movement  
and the star is a fan of long and languid movements and he feels  
he belongs here.  
He remembers to use his feet.  
Time always works differently after.  
Blinks a little. Shakes his head.  
Excited for the cigarette.  
Rounds the corner tower  
Slips  
A little but catches himself.  
Stops to breathe.  
He can hear something off in the distance? Can he?  
Or is it the hound in him?  
He reaches for the map- damn. potter has it. So he listens  
There's the sound of Remus, right there. A scuffle as he readjusts himself his right hand on the rock of the tower  
Sirius can hear the scrape while the left hand  
Bc remus is left handed  
Strikes the lighter  
Jesus moony use a spell fer fucks sake you’re a magical being you’re magic squared  
your magical nougaty insides are wrapped up in wild running storm magic so for fucks sake  
Use a spell  
He thinks.  
But doesn’t say because he’s listening  
Down the side of the castle plunging  
he can hear  
At different levels  
The halls and any movement soft footstep or sudden scrape but  
Not it  
so out and into the courtyard  
Starlings in their nests and crickets of course and  
A frog? Late in the season but  
Still not it, and out out out he listens all around the willow  
No  
The lake  
Asleep. Damn it’s late  
Beyond the lake?  
The bats returning and suddenly  
His skin shifts  
There it is  
He almost slides off the roof

'All right?'

And remus has his arm

'you sick?'

'Heard something.' 

'Oh.'  
Remus lets go.  
Arms dropping  
Sirius steadies himself. 

'What did it sounds like?'  
The cigarette hanging and Sirius grabs for it

'Ta.  
Couldn’t hear it someone’s body was scrambling all around this roof.'

'Scary  
Wonder who else is on the roof?'

'cheeky you. You want something stronger?'

'Always.' remus leans in and 

Sirius pulls out a beat up blunt  
Lights it  
They sit  
Legs dangling and share it.  
Smoke rising 

'I hear things'

'Voices?'

'shove it.  
I mean. When I have nightmares. Like. yours tonight.  
I’m assuming.  
After. When I wake up I’m still on edge. I. I can’ stop paying attention.  
To all of the noises around me.' 

'Sure?'

'I just mean. Maybe that’s what it was.'

'Oh.  
No. this was definitely. Something. Something different.  
The dog could hear. I couldn’t.' 

'Padfoot heard it?'

'Yeah.' 

'Hm.'

'Can the wolf hear anything?'

There’s a long pause the wind blows in from somewhere behind hogsmeade up the rocky hillside and over the grounds. It rustles the leaves of the willow before finding the back of remus’ neck. 

'Oh.'  
He says.  
'There’s something.'

'What is that?'

Remus motions  
Silence. 

They listen. The dog the wolf the boys  
The wind whistles  
'Shit!'  
Sirius has never had much patience.  
'It’s gone.  
Where was it coming from?  
It was too far for me.' 

Remus still trying and then  
'Gone.'  
He takes a long drag.  
'Near to hogsmeade.'

'Not the grounds?'

'Off Hogwarts. The village.' 

'What was that?'

'I’m not sure. It made my skin crawl.' 

'Should I call for my bike?'  
And his arm is up but remus grabs it  
Gives him the blunt instead  
'Hang onto it'  
He says and lights another cigarette  
The wind dies  
The sound is gone. 

'I don’t know.  
Fuck it.'

'Fuck it. yeah.' 

Remus looks at him  
Side eyed  
The wind again and this time in remus’ curls  
'Pads.  
It’s getting worse.' 

'Yeah.  
But not as bad as fifth.' 

'No.'  
Remus looks uncomfortable.  
'Your dad?'

'My dream?  
I can’t remember.  
Probably not.  
I think regulus.' 

'Yeah.'

'Yeah.  
Listen.  
‘ts fine.'  
He stares over the edge of the roof.  
Somewhere three floors below a starling launches itself towards the sunrise.  
'Who needs sleep?  
I’m a strapping young lad.  
In’t. good to be young?'

'You feel young? I feel older than this castle.  
Sirius. In the last three years I think I’ve aged a hundred.' 

Sirius laughs.  
'You’ve got the greys to prove it-'

'-point out all of my flaws please-'

'-your nose-'

'-my feelings-' 

'-your scars-' sirius chuckles, and remus winses, unoticed.  
'But  
the scars aren’t a flaw  
neither is the nose I think the nose is nice. To be honest the nose is nice the night is nice.' 

'You’re done.'  
the wolf takes the roach, sucks it, flicks it off the side of  
'You fucker.  
You’re no basket of fruit.'

'No spring chicken!'

'No ace of spades!' they shout together and laugh  
Inside Sirius can hear james cursing.  
It’s nonsense.  
Thank god Sirius thinks  
The sweet relief of absolute nonsense.  
'Yeah.' He says after a minute.  
'Might be the news who’s to say.' 

'Might might. Might be the news.' Remus growls.  
'Might be those dark magic bastard idiots and their fascist agendas.  
Might be the murders of the innocents or the ministry’s fowling  
Pathetic attempt to handle it-' 

'-and their worse attempt to cover it all up-'

'-the censorship-'

'-the death toll and-'

'-not to mention Dumbledore-

'-the bastard.' sirius bites.

'Where is he, even?'

'London calling I thought.'

'Fuck'

'Feck.'

'Another?'

'Please.' 

They smoke. 

'Some agnes brought me tea leaves again today,' Sirius says. 

'Oh yeah?'

'Too many girls and too many tea leaves say i.'

'An agnes was it?' remus takes a long pull from another cigarette.

'As you ever saw.' 

'What did the leaves say, then?'

'Something about babies.'

'Oh she comes on strong.'

'No apparently I’m to stay away from them.'

'Shouldn’t be a problem. Man about town as you are.'

'Regular tom cat.'

'Crowing the dawn.' 

'That’s roosters, love.' 

'Ta. Then what did you say to her?'

'I shouldn’t repeat it. it wasn’t kind.'

'You don’t have to be that way with them.'

'Well.' 

'Well.' A long silence and the wind picks up. Remus changes the subject. 'Third time this week.' 

'Hm?'

'That was the third time this week you’ve-'

'-yeah. We don’t have to talk about it.'

'Fine  
Fine.  
It’s just.  
It doesn’t always have to be a laugh a minute with you-'

'-damnit!'

'What?'

'You do this!'

'Sorry er  
What do I do?'

'This.  
This getting close and  
Being.  
Talking about.  
Taking what’s on the inside of me and and-'

'-putting it on the outside of you? Right sorry god forefend.'

'you ask too many questions.'

'Right.'

There’s a long and angry silence

'I’ll ask less then, shall I?'

'Sorry. I’m a bit of a dick.'  
Sirius is surprised. The apology is easy. Then again most things with Remus are.

'You are a bit, ya.'

'I’m not good at-'

'-clearly.' 

'You’re not surprised?'

'No of course not. But stop acting like you’re the only one who-'

'-the only one who?' too eager calm down. he takes a breath.

'The only one with nightmares alright?'

'Yeah.  
Wish I could remember them.'

Remus shudders.  
'No you don’t.'

'Right.  
Probably not. Hate waking up like. Feeling like that and not even knowing why.'

'I mean you know why.'

'Sure.  
Yeah.  
Well I haven’t been sleeping don’t listen to me.' 

'You can talk about it though, with me. If it would help. If you want to talk about. Like with regulus this summer.'

The dog is better at everything. his senses are on edge and he thinks it’s remus’ body heat until

The sound is back  
He looks at remus  
Who has heard it too  
And together  
They’re staring off towards the village when  
And Sirius feels his stomach sinking even as his arm is raising shouting accio for his motorcycle  
As green blooms out in the air over hogsmeade like  
Fireworks  
The town is waking up now they can see it as the purring of sirius’ motorbike grows louder rounding the corner and neither of them are thinking really, how could they? Theyre just lads  
He’s swinging his leg over the side of his bike, remus after him hanging on and they launch off the roof and into the early dawn hurtling towards the village as the dark mark  
Solidifies  
In the air above, people pouring from their houses  
Sleepy eyed still dreaming of coffee shuffling slippered feet holding their arms around them their breath misting in the cold air as they  
Gaze up  
Towards the sky.  
The bike under them roars to life as Sirius kicks it into a higher gear remus  
Whispers  
In his ear  
'Away from the crowd or you’ll lose the bike.'

And Sirius knows he’s right they swerve off  
Behind the crowd  
Snake down a side street still sleeping,  
Unaware  
And the rubber tire meets pavement as they roll to a halt  
Sirius’ breath comes out in streams which means  
Remus thinks  
His must be as well.  
He can smell breakfast starting somewhere  
Maybe the castle  
And coffee god bless  
As he pulls his jumper tighter  
He’d kill for a coffee. 

A sudden sharp sound and remus reacts throws himself at Sirius knocking him down  
Remus didn’t even think he just  
The curse slices through the air just above them  
Remus fires something off behind him  
Is that where it came from?  
He isn’t sure  
just shouts and points pushing Sirius up and back towards the bike  
This was a mistake  
He thinks but then he sees her  
Her face streaked with soot and tears  
She could be holding a teddy bear,  
But isn’t.  
Not old enough to be alone  
Too scared to move  
In open view of the deatheaters now making their way over the rooftops  
Remus scans the street around them  
Luckily  
Remus chuckles, dodging a curse, is it though?  
Luckily they only seem to have eye for the two of them.  
Remus deflates, momentarily but

'behind you,' Sirius reassures him. 

'We have an audience,' remus glances at the girl  
Sirius follows his gaze.  
'Fuck. Who’s she with?'

'Us now, it would seem  
Hey!'  
He hisses at her  
'Get behind something.'

She’s stuck and then  
Unsticks  
Dives into a rhododendron that’s  
Balding now but still not bare  
Remus watches it shaking as she finds her ground  
No time  
Something else shoots past them  
He feels it  
How are they this shit at landing a hit? He wonders before he sees the sweat on Sirius’ forehead. Oh. Remus thinks, thankful.  
The wolf wants to absorb the magic in the air all around them but remus, Sirius against him,  
Won’t try that not now so instead  
'Crucio!' He hisses and he can feel someone knocked to the ground but before he can react there are more curses and shouting and now Sirius too is shouting  
'CRUCIO!'  
And the sky is on fire and there are sirens suddenly and more people somehow  
Wasn’t it dawn?  
Why is it so dark?  
Something catches him in the side and it burns for a second  
These robes are toast  
But only a second before  
He feels like he’s had a pot of coffee and he lunges to the rhododendron  
Dragging Sirius  
Who’s dragging the bike  
As the street explodes around them  
Aurors showing up now  
involved in the fray with the deatheaters  
So that they’re no longer the focus of attention  
He sees her hiding. 

'Where do you live?'

She looks behind her at a house with a large porch and a pumpkin on the stairs. 

'Well then GO.'  
He whisper-shouts and she turns and runs back inside  
Remus looks behind him  
Things are calming down

'Padfoot you hurt?'

'No.'

'Jesus. They’re close.' 

'Yeah. Ahts-'

'shit.'

'It’s nothing.'  
sirius pulls up his pant leg  
A deep red gash in his calf is pouring blood

'That’s not nothing.' remus, gently  
'Ferula'  
He whispers  
And bandages wrap sirius’ leg tightly.  
'Can you still drive?'

He nods. 

'Come on. Follow me.'  
As he rises he feels a tugging at his side, where he was hit. A hand inside his robes catches the scab as it’s falling away. Underneath fresh, new, healed.  
Shame about the robes, he thinks. 

They crawl through the bushes and down the side of the house with the porch and the pumpkin until they find darkness.  
Sirius fires up the bike, and even standing beside it they barely hear the sound. 

'Should we go back?' Sirius is eager, more interested in calamity than calm. 

'Looks like we’re winning.' Remus nods towards the street and as Sirius looks he hears the sound of people disapparating. A sudden absence of form where once there was deatheater. 

'Let’s go.' Remus pushes him onto the bike and they collide for a moment the bike beneath them slipping out, Sirius catching it with his thigh and trapping remus’ leg by accident. 

They freeze  
then another whizzing pop behind them propels them once more. Sirius over the bike, remus behind and they’re flying back to the castle, relieved, remus thinks. To feel the wind in his hair and sirius under his chest and the thought of coffee ahead of them and he’s really consumed by the thought of all of these wonderful things when there’s a sound like metal tearing and he is lifted out of the seat  
By something  
That hits him underneath his shoulder  
And he can feel the bones shatter when it does  
Pain blooming at his temple and he whimpers maybe?  
And then he’s flying  
And then he’s falling  
And he can hear the motorcycle stall out as Sirius realizes  
And then everything is going dark  
Fuck it’s cold. He thinks, before he hits the ground.

He opens his eyes to madam pomfrey’s worried face. 

'A motorcycle? Are you out of your mind?'  
Not unkindly  
But not forgiving.

'Where’s Sirius?' Suddenly he remembers and is thrashing trying to sit up and realizing he can’t use his right arm pomfrey pushes him  
Gently  
Back onto the pillows.  
'Rest. You’re growing a new shoulder blade.'

'Where’s Sirius? What happened? There were death eaters we saw the mark and they came after us! They got me I heard the bike and-  
Is he ok?'

'I’m right here.' 

He feels a wave wash over him. Relief, without doubt. Sudden exhaustion. He can hardly keep his eyes open

'Hey. You let go.'  


'I did no such thing.  
You slipped.'

'Clumsy me.' 

'You two-' 

Pomfrey is cut off by Minerva McGonagall who is not making  
The most pleasant sound remus thinks  
Even if it is nice to know she cares  
Has she been here the whole time?

'You don’t ever stop to think do you? Any of you  
Gryffindor  
Entitled  
Privileged  
Stubborn and impulsive  
SELFISH!'

'She’s still our house head right?' 

'Not now sirius.'

'But,' pomfrey interjects.

'if they hadn’t been there Minerva.  
Think what could have happened to young Nymphadora.' 

'Look we’re sorry alright we weren’t thinking.' at this point remus would commit to a life without shoulderblades just for one chance to shut his eyes again.

'Haven’t been sleeping you know how it is.' that black family drawl.

'War on the rise and all.'

'Body’s on the brink.'

'Constantly.'

'Can’t get a moment on your own without your thoughts.'

'How’s the village then?'

She shakes her head.

That hits the two of them

Right.

'True heroics.  
Asinine  
Heroics.  
You’re dismissed from classes. Heal up. Eat breakfast, and go get some rest.' 

'That’s it? No points loss or?'

'Well don’t ask for it,' remus chuckles and he can see it in poppy and minerva’s eyes as well even though Minerva is still furious. 

'Thank you.'

'No. remus. Sirius.  
Thank you.' 

And it’s sincere. 

'I’m sorry I yelled a bit there.' minerva, bashful. it tickles remus to see it. 

'Not at all.' he reassures her. 

'Well.' 

'Goodnight then?' 

'Morning, technically.' the star corrects him.

'Alright' poppy is wiping his forehead and  
And suddenly they’re alone.  
'Where’s your bike?' Remus asks 

Sirius looks sick for a moment then mutters something about 'back on good behaviour' so remus doesn’t ask any follow up questions. 

'Moony?'

'Yeah?'

'Ah listen.'

'Yeah?'

Sirius isn’t sure what he’s doing with his hand it’s just sort of  
Hanging there and now he feels even more  
Well.

'When you?'

'Yeah?'

'When you fell?'

'Oh. It’s fine. Who knew? These old bones are stronger than they look-'

'Fucking hell moony would you take me seriously for two seconds?'

'Weren’t you just yelling at me for taking you too-'

And Sirius is distraught

'Oh fuck padfoot I didn’t mean-'

'S’not you, 

Sorry yes it is you actually you fucking FELL I saw  
I saw you hit the ground I heard  
The sound  
You made when you  
So how?'

'Can’t kill an old dog so fast.' 

'Im the dog. Youre the wolf.' 

'Thank you,' says remus. 'What happened? To the deatheaters? I mean was the bike hit? How are you-?'

'not now. Not with-' he looks behind hime 'i'll catch you up later.'

'after breakfast? I could eat.'

'Ok but can you walk?'

Remus moves his shoulder, which, surprisingly, is more limber than he thought.  
'Might be alright,' he says. 'Skelegro. Tricky mistress. Still hurts like-' 

They glance back at pomfrey’s office, the light is on but there’s no movement. 

'Want to cut out then?'

'Yeah.' 

And Sirius is helping him to the door and down the stairs, following the smells of breakfast. When they enter the great hall it gets quiet. 

'News spreads fast,' remus sighs

'Always has.'

And then it picks up again  
but everyone’s staring at them

'Am I naked?' Remus asks

'I’d notice.' 

remus turns red as Sirius deposits him onto the bench at Gryffindor table, the long breakfast spread stretching out in front of both of them. 

'Coffee first please.' 

'Here.' Sirius already has it made.

'Ta.' 

A copy of the prophet lands on the table, barely missing a heaping pile of bacon. Sirius reads the title:

Slaughter in Hogsmeade.

'Jesus'.  
Sirius is undone.  
'The death toll is climbing daily and we’re SAT here in the great hall like a bunch of silly kids. I’m not a kid I’m a wizard we should be doing something-'

someone behind him  
he gets the chills

'-you need to sit still and finish your education black. Your passion is appreciated but do your best to maneuver around your very draconian impulse to act without thinking. Just because it didn’t occur to either one of you that hurling yourselves off of Gryffindor tower and into the night towards the dark mark of all things might be one of the worst ideas in recorded history it might have at least occurred to you that you are individuals of great and apparent skill who can’t be wasted in idle and unprepared field play so SIT DOWN BLACK and try. For one day. For part of a day. For the rest of breakfast TRY  
NOT  
to fuck it all up.' 

Sixth year Sirius would have barked back with a bite ready up his sleeve but  
Seventh year sirius’  
Eyes  
Are tired. And he watches as Snape maneuvers his way out of the hall and Sirius  
Well and truly  
Exhausted.  
Says nothing. 

And remus notices. 

'nice to know he cares I guess.'

'He’s right.'  
Sirius says. Finally. 

'Is he?'  
Remus isn’t sure. 

'Unlike you not to favour practicality.' 

'Sure but I mean.  
He sips his coffee  
There’s a war on.  
S’different now.  
Not school rules anymore.' 

'He’s not wrong.  
We’re assets. Impulsive  
Idiotic assets and we almost self-destructed.' 

'Well.  
Nothing new then, is there?'

Remus finds Sirius' eyes and holds them.  
And he feels like a well that was run dry  
Water slowly starts to trickle in.

the room shifts suddenly  
new energy makes it way towards them

'Well I for one am appalled to have been left completely out of such midnight  
reverie and jolliment and maybe even merriment one might say  
might one?'

'ey?' peter asks.

'Wormtail what say you? We’re very betrayed et al. how could you lads  
I mean  
I mean  
Lads.  
You don’t just.  
Hurl yourselves off towers at deatheaters in the middle of the night-'

'-very early in the morning more like-'

'-without your fellow musketeers I mean.  
I mean.'  
LADS.

He can’t find the words so james potter sits heavily  
Angrily heaping breakfast onto his plate and  
Really there’s no other way to say it  
Sulking quite frankly. 

James is incapable of icing them out for longer than thirty seconds so asks  
'Was that snape talking to you just now?  
What did he have to say for himself?'

'Just cutting us down for our adventure.' 

'What were you two doing up so early anyway? Did I hear you at three am? Why are you so loud?'

'Alright, lupin?' Peter asks taking a seat. 'Thought I heard you heaving it up in the middle of the night. Was that before or after black took you out for a ride?'  
Peter sounds disappointed in him. 

'Sorry pete. We didn’t plan it.' 

'I’d think not. Where’s your bike, black?'

Sirius looks sick once more. 

'He’d rather not talk about it,' remus says reaching for the salt. 

'Sorry mate. We’ll get it back.' 

'Anyway wasn’t me heaving it up pete. It was black here.' 

'Really? Alright, black?'

'I’m fine.' Sirius says to the table. 

'He’ll live. ah-' Remus grabs his shoulder. 

'Oooh we heard you were hit. how's it feel then?' potter does look sympathetic. 

'on the mend. If you see pompfrey be a love and give me a heads up alright I’m not going back to hospital wing it smells like ointment there.' 

Sirius, his cheek sticking to the wood of the Gryffindor breakfast table, grins. 

'Smells better in here,' remus says. 'Listen lads we didn’t sleep and we’ve been excused from classes so we’re going to cut it short.' 

'Sure, sure,' james moans. 'New adventures  
New groups  
Leaving men behind is your trademark now isn’t it?'

'Listen potter  
Just bc you were too busy dodging bludgers to haul your hairy ass out of bed after us.'

'Excuse me for my dedication.'

'obsession is more like.' sirius holds out his hand. 'Map?'

'Oh.' James' face falls even deeper. 

'Let me get a kip,' Sirius says, 'and I'll meet you on the field for lunch?'

This helps greatly, and james basically glows handing over the map as peter perks up as well possibly just because he can feel the mood lighten.

'We’ll see you later, then?' Remus asks

'Yeah later.' James still sulking but considerably less so now, with the promise of broomstick and field in his future.  
Peter finishes breakfast, oblivious.

They walk out of the hall ignoring glances as they go. Above them the skies are turning dark as a storm follows behind the wind. 

'Try and have a rest now, you think?' Remus asks

'Guess I could.' sirius says unfolding the map. 'Or we could get my bike back.'

'Or,' Remus leans against the wall, his shoulder feeling much better by now,  
'You could tell me what happened after I got struck by a death eater and fell off the back of your motorbike?' 

'Nothing to tell there.' his nose is in the map.  
'What do you think happened?'

Remus groans.  
'Dumbledore.'

'the most Dumbledore I’ve seen in a while.' He holds out the map.  
'Well then how about it?'

'How about what?'

'How about we get my bike back?'

to be continued...

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! Please let me know what you think. I really want to explore these two working through ptsd, the war, and moving towards something hopeful.


End file.
